In the week the world was graced with The Strokes headlining a Bernie Sanders rally (yes, you read that right), complete with a collab t-shirt to match, Nike announced it will be dressing the Tokyo 2020 Olympic athletes in recycled polyester and old shoe parts as part of wider plans to cut their carbon footprint. Yep, there’s a lot to catch up on—so as a V Day gift from INDIE, here are five things you may have missed this week.
Christopher John Rogers dominated NYFW
View this post on Instagram
After taking home the top prize CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund in November (for those not paying attention, that’s $400,000), Christopher John Rogers is one to watch following his Fall 2020 Ready-to-Wear show at NYFW. The 26-year-old designer drew inspiration from ranging from trash bags to Sunday service at church with his grandma—a dichotomy that is hard to imagine until you see his garments blazing the runway. The head-to-toe pearlescent monochromatic styles inspired by his Sundays were offset by ruffled necklines, bulbous silhouettes and ballooned sleeves, resulting in eye-catching looks that have already graced red carpets. Model’s natural hair reigned supreme, and dramatic dos were shaped and inspired by topiary art (that’s fancy-speak for trimming shrubbery and bushes to make shapes and art). Rogers has already dressed and designed for the likes of Rihanna and Michelle Obama (brb crying), with the young designer stating that “these clothes are expensive, and they should look expensive.” Work it.
People still can’t handle Billy Porter’s perfection
View this post on Instagram
For some unbeknownst reason, people still can not come to terms with men wearing dresses (ahem… conservatives, we are looking at you). Sesame Street posted on Instagram teasing Billy Porter’s appearance in the 51st season of the iconic children’s show, standing on the steps of 123 Sesame Street rocking his iconic 2019 Oscars tuxedo dress—and, as per usual, people were not happy about it. According to Page Six, a petition circulated to have the episode pulled as it would “sexualise children using drag queens”, and some compared his dress to “perverted demon sex”. Porter obviously clapped back at the ridiculous criticisms, stating “what about me singing with a penguin [on the show] has anything to do with what I’m doing in my bedroom? The really interesting thing for me is that that’s what it’s all about when it comes to LGBTQ people—the first thing everyone wants to talk about is how we having sex.” Tell ’em, Billy.
Fenty’s lingerie advertising was not revealing enough
View this post on Instagram
Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty lingerie line came under fire this week for its use of deceptive advertising, as non-profit organisation Truth In Advertising filed complaints against the company, claiming that “with advertisements that promote prices and sales that are only available to Xtra VIP members, without clearly and conspicuously disclosing that the promotions are exclusive to customers who are bound by the terms of membership.” Shoppers are shown discounted prices by default, and their shopping cart displays “Savage X Monthly Membership” with no price attached. After proceeding and accepting the terms and conditions, the catch is inconspicuously hidden in literal small print—the membership costs $49.95 a month, and the company refuses to refund the fee to any of the customers. Additionally, their websites are region-locked and there is no option to change the language—meaning that if you are in a foreign country, you may not be able to even understand the terms and conditions unless you go out of your way to translate it. A spokesperson for Savage X states that the “accusations are false and based on misconceptions of our business.” The monthly membership fee can be used as store credit—however, after being refused a refund upon her first deduction, one frustrated customer complained that she can’t eat lingerie for dinner. Good point, sis.
AREA debuted its Fall 2020 Ready-to-Wear collection
View this post on Instagram
Variety is the spice of life, as they say—and that’s what audiences saw streaming down the runway at AREA’s Fall 2020 RTW show in New York this week. Founders of the label, Beckett Fogg and Piotrek Pansczczyk, claim to take inspiration from everywhere and everything—whether it be cultures, costumes, interior design, art or anything in between. The designs seamlessly mesh these fragments together to create interesting and diverse collection, while still maintaining a subtle stylistic link with many of the looks featuring crystal detailing. “Most important is a boundary-free globalism,” Vogue wrote following the show. “It’s reflective of the way they see the world, and how they see New York in particular: a borderless community of free spirits.” Despite items such as crystal headscarves—heavily resembling Islamic hijabs—the designers managed to avoid accusations of cultural appropriation.
The internet mocked the frocks at the Oscars
View this post on Instagram
The internet doesn’t sleep, and it has a very specific role in our lives: to provide us with entertainment at the expense of others—and the Oscars season is like catnip for meme-ophiles. The red carpet is a playground, especially for women (and Billy Porter), to play with fashion by wearing extravagant and unusual outfits… they almost make it too easy for meme connoisseurs. Whether it be Janelle “Tin Man” Monae, or Maya Rudolph joining the Golden Girls gang, nobody was immune to the onslaught of comparisons. Not even the universe’s sweetheart, Billie Eilish, whose Chanel getup was compared to MC Hammer—that one was a stretch. Diet Prada chimed in to compare Renée Zellweger’s single-sleeve gown to a plaster cast—we sincerely wish Renée a speedy recovery after that burn.
